UK domain name Registry Nominet and Microsoft have announced a partnership wherein they will deliver broadband services across the African continent.
The companies will collaborate to use Nominet’s TV white space (TVWS) database and dynamic spectrum management technology, along with Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform to provide the services. White space spectrum is unassigned or unused UHF and VHF TV broadcast frequencies.
It has been reported that only 25 per cent of the population in Africa uses the Internet. The companies claim that the project is aimed at bringing low-cost terrestrial wireless broadband Internet to all the communities across the continent.
Paul Garnett, Director of Affordable Access Initiatives, Microsoft said :
Microsoft is excited to be working with Nominet on developing Azure cloud-based TV white space databases that will enable Internet access providers across Africa to leverage unused broadcast frequencies and deliver low-cost broadband Internet access.